FIVE AMAZING THINGS FOR A FRIDAY | 31 May 2024 | Stratherrick & Foyers Community Trust

FIVE AMAZING THINGS FOR A FRIDAY

Friday, 31 May 2024

As we enter the final month of our financial year it has been a week of endings and new beginnings, at home and at work.

Today my son finally finishes High School with his Prom tonight. He has his Duke of Edinburgh Gold award in his back pocket and after completing the Edinburgh Half Marathon in the pouring rain his next goals are the Euros Germany tour and his degree in politics. My daughter completes her Masters at Edinburgh Uni with just a dissertation to submit before her new adventures. And after falling during a run my wife continued to work despite the bruises at a Uni in the North of England. Occasionally we all do meet but as we move onto another life stage those moments become very rare!

This is my home life. But I get paid to be here! All of our volunteers have to juggle home life, work and helping the community become better in whatever way suits their lifestyle.

As in life at ‘work’ sometimes through tough moments (and the minor grumble) we see much greater things happening.

WILDSIDE

The grass is growing at the new PlayPark at Wildside so hopefully it will be ready for the summer holidays. We have wifi available outside the building as well as inside. The Polycrub has several users. There are even plans to make the pétanque court usable and accessible to book at the new online booking system. Next year new toilets, windows and improving electrical boards into the building (all very exciting!)

HIGHLAND GATHERING

A little way down the road the Highland Gathering will be up and running late July but all the preparation for that has been going on over the last six months (yes, it doesn’t simply ‘happen’) and despite the stress, strain and hoping that it doesn’t rain the sense of achievement is always worth seeing on staff, volunteers and participants faces before well earned summer holidays.

ERROGIE

Errogie Steering Group is growing and working towards Stage 2 of the development but we are concentrating on events that can happen now from the school workshops designing a stained glass window to a wedding to a birthday party to a film showing and new initiatives to improve our carbon footprint.

SLIPWAY AND RIVERSIDE FIELD

At the slipway interim arrangements are being put into place for the area as grass roots activity from the ground up can lead to bigger and better activity on the Loch later on. The Riverside Field Sports and Recreation Project has seen positive discussions with planning regarding the pre planning condition trackers.

LAND AND HOUSING

The residents at Inverfarigaig have been taking advantage of the land that was purchased by the Trust on their behalf. Again a really grass roots initiative with community members rolling up their sleeves and getting on with it. Good on them. And BIG NEWS we agreed the funding and started working on building two homes for affordable rent that will be owned by the community for the community. This will mean there will be four homes in Inverfarigaig for rent, all managed by Communities Housing Trust on our behalf. This is an amazing achievement!

GRANTS

Alongside all this the Board ensures we can continue to support groups from the Community Council to Boleskine Community Care to Gorthleck Hall to school programmes to those studying and we try and ensure we make financial provision for all that too. As you can imagine this is not easy (if you read my post about the joint challenges we face at the Community Council / Trust meeting) but as a community we are all hitting it out of the ballpark!

AN OPPORTUNITY NOT TO BE MISSED

I will end this week by mentioning an opportunity with the James Hutton Institute. They offer world-leading scientific solutions for the sustainable management of land, crop and natural resources that support thriving communities. They respond to the challenges posed by the climate and nature crises through applying their scientific expertise to developing interventions, tools, products and land management practices to improve the resilience of crops, land, natural resources and communities. They have chosen the Startherrick and Foyers Community to work with over the next two years on the strength of your Community Action Plan and Place Plan. This is an opportunity not to be missed. If you are a student, working or retired you will kick yourself if you do not take part. More details and how to participate here

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Stratherrick & Foyers Community Trust,
The Wildside Centre, Whitebridge,
Inverness IV2 6UN
admin@sfctrust.org.uk
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